Scholastic Arts...2012

The Christmas season is a busy one not because of the holiday, but because of the Scholastic Arts Regional competition deadline is as we return for the new year.....which makes just before Christmas break, an incredibly busy and crazy time. We have to collect the artwork, get our students to register on line......register the artworks, get them to sign their forms along with their parents and return them to school.
Then each piece needs to be photographed because that is how the judging will take place. (something new this year) I meant for the photos to be better, but as it turns out....not this year. I was going to redo the backgrounds....but after cropping, color correcting, etc. all the photos, I felt I had spent plenty of time on the computer over my Christmas break and so called it quits for this year.
Next year, I will have a better plan!
So....the following pieces are this years best from Honesdale High School's pottery class.

 Jackie Albano

 Jackie Albano

 Danielle Blair

 Danielle Blair

 Danielle Blair

 Danielle Blair

 Josh Card

 Jennifer Carey

 Desiree Crum

 Desiree Crum

 Vinny DeSimone

 Candice Driver

 Courtney Elmore

 Valerie Gaglione

 Jessica Hall

 Dorie Henry

 MacKenzie Henry

 MacKenzie Henry

 MacKenzie Henry

 Rachel Krull

 Rachel Krull

 Rachel Krull

 Shannon LaPoint

 Katelin Lemon

 Chloe Lienert

 Chloe Lienert

 Chloe Lienert

 Chloe Lienert

 Abe Nolan

 Ryan O'Shaughnessy

  Ryan O'Shaughnessy

 Noah Pietraszweski

  Noah Pietraszweski

 Darby Propst

 Blake Rickard

 Kaylee Roy

 Kaylee Roy

 Megan Saul

 Megan Saul

 Megan Saul

 Megan Saul

 Shelby Smith

 Emma Spittel

 Allison Weidner

Allison Weidner

Inspiration

Teaching not only gives me the opportunity to share my passion.....but as I do, I also need to show examples....so I have to come up with ideas for the demonstrations. This is when inspiration happens on a dime.....but can lead to new discoveries. This year when I demonstrated how to make a mug, I wanted to stress the creative end of things, because they all know what a mug looks like....but can they think beyond what they already have experienced?

And so.....these fish mugs appeared...and have inspired me to take the idea to my studio and work on it further.

Scholastic Arts....2012

This horse was created by Chloe Lienert, a senior at Honesdale High School.

This tank is actually a working whistle and was created by Noah Pietraszewski

This is a busy time of year, getting ready for The Scholastic Art and Writing competition just before Christmas break is pretty hectic. I don't know why they have it at the beginning of the year, because there is some great work beginning to happen in my room by the first year students. My 3rd year students are doing some magnificent pieces. Each one is challenging themselves with their own vision. It's fantastic to see the students develop their voice in clay! Check back after Christmas to see their work. I will post all the work submitted on Facebook and then the winning pieces here. Can't wait to see who wins what awards and gets recognized for doing a great job!

Summer has ended....some time ago!

This grouping is something totally different than what I have made before....I just wanted to go abstract, and play....and see where it took me. This first piece was inspired by the fiddle ferns. The next one wasn't cooperating, so I cut it off and stretched it thin. It has a very delicate, still in motion feeling for me. The stain changes from a  green to a blue at the bottom.

This piece was created with a Calla Lily in mind. Later I'll post the frog in the Calla Lily. I think it turned into a formal collar with a textured button.

I get a Viking feeling slash Rhino feeling from this pot. I will definitely make more of these....so stay tuned over Christmas break...when I can once again....work in my studio.

August firing

                                         I created these early in the summer.....experimenting
                                        with some different clays...and decided I like my raku
                                        clay best for what I like to do most!
 

                                       The glazes in these pieces turned out really dramatic!

 

The last of summer!

                                               In a flurry of activity.....I tried out a new idea.

 

          

 One thing leads to another...I guess, but this is all for a while, have to get ready for the new school year. These have to dry for some time before bisquing, so I think the next raku session will be in late September or early October.
Can't wait to see the results!

another octopus.....with three mice....don't know if they are the blind ones!

Summertime in the Studio

What do other people do with their free time in the summer? I can't imagine doing much else when you have a good chunk of time and a great studio to work in.....there can't be much of anything better than this!

These two lizards are creating great tension between them and will look great on the intense red and black pot when it gets fired.

                     Just playing around with this abstracted rhino. Sometimes, you just have to do it!

                   So, when you look at this pot......do you see the octopus climbing in or out?

 This was the last of the pieces for this time frame.....the frog may be a little large making it kinda cute....but I think I have to try some pots with interesting "collars", without animals.

                                 As if this octopus found something to explore....under the sea....
                                           not knowing someone else was doing the same!

                          When you say good-bye to one elephant.....you have to make another!

                                                                  And one more!

                                    I can't wait to see this one done....he really has an attitude!